This invention relates to a device for diffusing volatile material into an atmosphere.
Devices for diffusing volatile materials into an atmosphere, for example, fragrances, air fresheners, anti-mould and anti-fungal materials, and insect repellents, are well known to the art. A typical device comprises a container adapted to store liquid volatile material and a diffusion member that provides the material to the atmosphere via an evaporation surface. This diffusion member receives the liquid for evaporation via a liquid conveying member, typically a wick of fibrous material. While having the advantages of cheapness and simplicity, the traditional wick has the drawback with some materials, such as fragrances, that the material diffused therefrom changes over time because of the earlier diffusion (and earlier exhaustion) of more volatile components, as a result of a fractionation of the components, similar to what occurs in a chromatographic column.
A recent alternative construction seeking to overcome this problem has been the use of at least one capillary, extending from the liquid to the atmosphere. This capillary can take the form of a rod provided with external grooves of capillary dimensions. While this overcomes the fractionation problem, it is more prone to leakage, for example, if the device is knocked over.